Thursday, October 08, 2009

Planners DO try to reduce paper

This just in: Planner Tom Drake, hearing about Stephen Overcash's lament about the 26 copies of each rezoning plan, tells me that the city Planning Department now lets you submit only 12 copies plus a CD. But you have to do that each time you submit a new plan for review.

That's only half the paper, which is something, I suppose. ...

6 comments:

704Champ said...

How about getting multiple notices in the mail that you owe $0.12 in back taxes?

704Champ said...

Also one bank with whom my company has a loan, sends me statements every single day of the week noting minimal interest rate changes. Thats $0.44 x 30 = $13.20 per month postage and 30 pieces of paper!

Anonymous said...

And if the developers/contractors would do their work correctly the first--or even the second, or third--time, that would even further reduce the amount of paper involved. Unfortunately, it's a standard of the industry nationwide that many (not all) applicants don't even try to meet the plan requirements, and wait for the reviewing agency/ies to redline the plans numerous times in order to get toward an eventually-approvable project set.

Then they can say to their client (who's, by then, getting antsy as hell) that it's the agency who's making them fix this or that; or they can argue that the requirements are too darn stringent for anyone to actually put on paper...when, really, the applicant simply isn't doing their darn job right in the first place.

It happens everywhere; not singling out Charlotte; but it sure is convenient that there are so many trees here we can use for that paper.

Anonymous said...

Wow - you just let the cat out of the bag, Anonymous - that's exactly what happens with all of those plan resubmittals....not doing the job right in the first place...funny thing is, SOME submittals are correct and don't have to be resubmitted multiple times, so it has to be possible, right?? Good post

Anonymous said...

I agree with anonymous above. I previously worked for a private engineering/architecture firm and I can clearly remember the project managers turning in substandard plans to the review agency with no intention of getting approval. Yes the City does require many hardcopies for submittals but those who are submitted choose to submit once, or 4 times. Its much more profitable the first time, i think some havent figured that out yet.

Anonymous said...

Happened to see you at PieBar tonight, hope you enjoyed your dinner! Really enjoy your blog, keep up the good work!